The Brown Turkey

Name: The Brown Turkey
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American

RECIPE: Justin L. Chamberlin for Sagra Trattoria and Bar, Austin, Texas
(Note: This restaurant has permanently closed.)

Photo: Lara Ferroni

November 19, 2012

A festive sparkler for a holiday feast.

One bite of savory fig stuffing served at a holiday feast and Justin Chamberlin knew he’d found his next cocktail inspiration. This Thanksgiving cocktail combines the subtle spices of aged rum with the sultry sweetness of figs and a bright pop of sparkling wine.

Ingredients

1 oz. aged rum
1 oz. fig and brown sugar reduction
3 dashes orange bitters (Chamberlin uses Regans’)
2 oz. sparkling wine

Tools:shaker, strainer, fine strainer
Glass:flute
Garnish:orange twist

Preparation

Combine all ingredients, except sparkling wine, and shake with ice to chill. Fine-strain into a chilled flute, top with sparkling wine and garnish.

Fig and Brown Sugar ReductionCombine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of brown sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and stir to dissolve sugar. Add 1/2 a cup of chopped fresh figs (Chamberlin uses Brown Turkeys, but feel free to substitute any variety), and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat and let steep for 25 minutes. Fine-strain into a glass bottle and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

TIP:Can’t find fresh figs? Simply substitute dried figs and follow the recipe as directed. And if your holiday plans call for house guests, make a double batch of the fig reduction to have on hand for serving on pancakes, waffles and ice cream.